Q Falls Apart
by highanimalhouse
Summary: A story taking place between Episode 7 and Episode 8 of Star Trek Picard.


Jean-Luc Picard retires to his quarters on La Sirena. He looks over the room, the same room he's always looked over since rescuing Soji Asha and keeping her away from Tal Shiar.

He finds his kettle and a stove and starts a pot of Earl Grey tea. Heating up the water, Picard puts the bag of tea in and covers it up. "Some things just can't be replicated," he laughs low to himself.

Picard sits on the bed and looks down. He looks up and he's back at Chateau Picard on his balcony with Number One.

"What am I doing here?" he asks aloud.

A figure draws closer.

"Jean-Luc," he says in that familiar aristocratic voice. "It's me."

"Q? What are you doing here? Why am I back at Chateau Picard? Where's Soji?"

"The girl is fine," as Q sits down next to Picard. "You're fine. I figure I talk to you while I have a chance. And to apologize." Q is not dressed as Picard normally sees him. By Q's standards, it's modest and looks comfortable. A sweater that came out of a LL Bean catalog, brown loafers, and dark slacks. At least better than that outfit Q wore when he was human.

Picard is a bit taken aback.

"Q, Q the Wise, apologizing to me, a human?" says Picard as he laughs out loud.

"Don't forget Q the Liar," Q adds in.

"I wonder what the Continuum thinks of this!" as Picard laughs.

Q's face turns serious. "Jean-Luc, I'm all that is left of the Continuum. That's why I grabbed you. I don't know how much time I have left as a being, much less an omnipotent being."

"What happened to the others?"

"After the war within the Continuum…"

"There was a war?"

"Yes, let me finish. Anyway, there was a war and a brief peace when my wife and child came into the Continuum."

Picard laughs a bit.

"What's so funny?"

"Q being married with a child. Go on."

"That peace wasn't lasting. In fact, many of the Continuum were faced with their own extinction. Some opted to become mortals. My wife and child did their best to stay but….all good things came to an end. They soon dissipated into nothingness, having exhausted their powers."

Picard looks down a bit at Number One. "So the Continuum just fell apart."

"Exactly. So I wish to apologize to you personally. I apologize for everything I put you through years ago. The trial against humanity. Sucking you away to see the Borg for the first time and starting you on this path against them. The games I played with you out of my own amusement. For…not being there when Romulus exploded due to a supernova. I had the power to stop the supernova…but it wasn't enough. Tried as I might, I couldn't even move the planet or the supernova half a centimeter away to save them. I reached out and…"

"….it didn't work. It's okay, Q, really. Even I know that Q helping me has its limits and asks for something in return."

Q is taken aback. "Honestly, that wasn't my intention. I know you don't trust me and….for good reason. But before we go, let me take you to a different place so you know my intentions are serious."

Picard then appears inside the courtroom that he met Q all those years ago in Farpoint. He's wearing his old captain uniform. It is empty, dusty, decrepit. Q walks forward in his judge's outfit and removes the headdress he wore.

"As you aware…"

"…yes, this is the physical representation of the Continuum," Picard says.

"Right, and like the actual Continuum, it's falling apart. Think about everything that happened in the last 20 years. Starfleet won't take Romulan refugees. The ban on synthetics due to the attack on Mars. Romulans hunting after someone who could be considered Data's daughter."

"Of course you know this."

"All of that is because of the presence or lack of presence of the Continuum, Jean-Luc. It's going to get much worse. Starfleet as you know it will be dissolved. There will be no more five year missions to explore the galaxy. Starfleet doesn't see the profit in that, of course."

"What can be done?" asks Picard.

Q sighs. "Even I'm not sure. I will say this. Jean Luc Picard is not guilty. You are free and no longer a criminal."

"But not the rest of humanity…"

"No, not the rest of humanity. Let's try this. I will give you these coordinates. These will direct you to a location where I am, physically. Once there, I will use the last of my powers to help you deal with what's hunting after you. They won't be a problem anymore. I can't guarantee that more won't come after you."

"Right."


End file.
